Mark Zinno: Norv Turner Not A Fit For Ravens

The San Diego Chargers entered the season looking to get back into the playoffs. Phillip Rivers and the team suffered a three and a four-game losing streak in the middle of season that proved too much to overcome. The Chargers finished the season (7-9) and head into the offseason without a head coach. Norv Turner was among the coaches fired on Black Monday. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)

(Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)

I think Norv Turner will have decent success wherever he goes, but I always wonder why guys are available when they are. Last offseason, there several head coaching openings after he got fired from San Diego: Arizona, Buffalo, Chicago, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Philadelphia and Cleveland. Is it any wonder that Turner didn’t get an offers from any of those places to be a head coach? And when he didn’t, how come his services weren’t sought after by those newly hired head coaches – many of whom were first time NFL head coaches and could have used a very experienced coordinator like Turner to lean on – how come there wasn’t a bidding war for his services? Cleveland was the best he could do? More stable teams, stable front offices didn’t want Turner. You have to ask yourself why? The Ravens needed an offensive coordinator last off-season, how come they didn’t look at Norv Turner then? If he is so much better than Jim Caldwell, and Caldwell was never a play-caller before, how come the very smart and savvy Ravens didn’t pick up the phone to call Norv Turner then? You have to ask why.

Turner had just two top five offenses in his coaching career as a coordinator and a head coach – 1999 Washington, 2010 Chargers. His best years were in Dallas with three Hall of Famers and San Diego with future Hall of Fame running back Ladainian Tomlinson. Don’t be fooled by the shiny new toy in the window. It looks nice and a lot of people want it, but it’s not always best for you. First of all, I don’t think that Cleveland will let Tuner go. They don’t have to. He’s under contract and they can hold him if they want to.

The Ravens should promote Jeff Hostler. And they should do it now. Don’t wait. Don’t let it sit out there for days or weeks. Do what has always been the model of success for this team and that is promote from within. Have Harbaugh call his most trusted offensive players – Joe, Ray, Pitta, Torrey, Yanda – see if they agree with the hire, and if they do, pull the trigger now. Don’t wait. Don’t complicate the issue. Don’t allow yourself to be second-guessed. Sometimes in the NFL, it’s not about getting the best guy, it’s about getting the best fit. And in the modern era of today’s NFL with the athletes the way they are, the best fit is always best.